Signaling apparatus for electric railways.



PATENTBD FEB. 7. 1905.

W. 0. BETHEL.

SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1904.

Patented February '7, 1905 \VALTER (J. BETHEL, OF SEATTLE,

WASHIN 'tTON.

SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYSQ SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 782,100, dated February '7', 1905.

Application filed November 4, 1904:. Serial N0. 231,445.

Be it known that 1, Emma O. Bu'runt, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of the city of Seattle, in the county of Kingand State of 'ashington, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Signaling Apparatus for Electric Railways, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric signaling apparatus foruse in connection with electric railways.

The object of my invention is to improve and simplify such apparatus.These objects will in a measure be indicated in detail hereinafter.

The scope of my invention will be defined by the claims appendedhereunto.

In the drawings l have shown my invention embodied in the form which isnow preferred by me.

Figure 1 shows my invention in diagram and perspective. Fig. 2 is a planof the arrangemcnt of' the devices at the signalingpoint. Fig. 3 showsthe upper end of a trolley-pole, the insulating-shield being in section. Fig. i is an edge elevation of the lower end of the support forthe contact-pieces and shows said pieces carried thereby.

hly invention is particularly adapted for use with cars operated from anoverhead feed-wire by the usual trolleypole. In Fig. l, C representssuch a car passing a signaling-point, l is the overhead trolley or feedwire, and 2 the trolley-pole. These parts are supposed to be of theusual or any suitable construction. One purpose of my invention is tocause the cars in passing a signaling-point to automatically produce asignal at any desired distant point or points and to cause differentcars or the cars of' different lines or classes to each actuate theirrespective signals, whereby the central office may be advised of themovement of the cars. To secure this, 1 employ a plurality of signalcircuits, a separate circuit being employed for each class or group ofcars, a separate indicating device being employed for each circuit. 1have shown three such circuits 3 leading from a central station board 19to a signaling-station on the line. The indicating devices shown inconnection with these signal-circuits are lamps 13, one for eachcircuit, and a bell ll, common to all the circuits. These indicatingdevices may, however, be replaced by any other suitable mechanismdesired. This end of the signaling-circuits is grounded at 15. At thesignaling-point I provide separate contact-pieces (S, T, and 8, one foreach circuit. These contact-pieces are composed of suitable resilientmetal, and they are suitably supported in electrical insulation fromeach other, so as to project laterally or horizontally beneath thetrolley or feed wire into the path of the trolleypole. l have shown themas mounted upon a board -.l, a sheet or bar of insulating material 5being placed between these contact-pieces and the board at. The board iis shown as suspended from a wire 20, which extends between two polesplaced at opposite sides of the track. .It is also secured to thesuspension-wire 18, by which the trolley-wire l is supported.

The trolley-pole 2 has an insulating-shield for that portion whichpasses through the field of the contact-pieces. A convenient form forthis shield and the one herein shown is that of sheath or cylinder 9surrounding the pole. The contact-pieces are placed in superposedposition or at different distances from the trolleyavire. Theinsulating-shield should be of sufficient length to cover the positionsof all the contact-pieces. In connection with said shield I provide an:uljustable tappetpiece lt), which is adapted to be secured at suchpoints along the shield as to contact with any one of' contact-pieces(3, T, or 8 desired. Means are also provided for securing electricalcontact between the tappet and the trolley-pole conductor, so as tocomplete the signaling-circuit through the trolley and the feed-wirewhen the tappet engages a contactpiece. hen the pole itself forms theconductor, this may be conveniently secured by means of a set-screw 11,which passes through holes 12 in the shield and engages the pole. As thecar passes the signaling-station the tappet it) will make contact with arespective one of the contact-pieces as, for example, t5-thus closingthe respective signal-circuit with the overhead feed-wire 1 through thetrolley-pole and tappet, and thereby energizing the respective lamp 13and operating the bell l t, the said signaling-circuit being completedthrough the ground to the car. It will be apparent that thecontact-pieces which are not brought into contact with the tappet as thecar passes the signaling-station will- Wipe across the insulating-sleeveon the trolleypole.

v To prevent engagement with any of the contact-pieces 6, 7 or 8 exceptwhen the trolley is in proper engagement with the trolley or feed wire,I provide guard-wires 17, which are secured to but insulated from thetrolleywire at points on each side of the signalingpoint and extenddiagonally to a connection with the suspension-wire 18, thereby forminga diamond which embraces the board 4 and its contact-pieces. These wiresare secured to the trolley or feed wire from above in such a way as tonot interfere with the free passage of the trolley. Should the trolleybe off the track when it approaches the signalingpoint, it would bedeflected by these guardvvires 17 and would not engage any of thecontact-pieces or produce any signal. Except for this it might engageany one or all of the contact-pieces, thus producing misleading andconfusing signals.

when a number of signaling-stations are placed along a line, as mayoften be desired, the spacing of the contact-pieces should correspond atall stations. here the elevation of the trolley or feed wire above thetrack is the same, their vertical distance from said wire should be thesame at different stations. Should there be a variation in height of thetrolley-wire, there should be a proportionate variation in the verticalspacing of the contact-pieces.

It is evident that my invention may be embodied in other mechanisms thanthose shown and herein described. Ido not, therefore,wish to be limitedto these mechanisms alone.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States. is

1. In a signaling apparatus for use with electric railways, thecombination with the feedwire a plurality of normally open groundedcircuits, and contact-pieces each connected with its respective circuitand arranged at dilferent vertical distances from the feed-wire,

of a supply-conductor adapted to connect the car with the feed-wire, aninsulating-shield for the part of the said conductor which passesthrough the field of the contact-pieces and a conductive tappet adaptedto connect with the said supply-conductor and to be adjusted to contactwith either of the contact-pieces.

2. In an electric signaling apparatus for electric railways, havingoverhead trolleywires, the combination with a plurality of normally opengrounded circuits, contact-pieces respectively for each circuit locatedin superposed relation to each other beneath the trolley-wire, of aninsulated section carried by the trolley-pole, and a conductive tappeton this insulated section adjustable to contact with either of thevarious contactpieces, and to have communication with the conductor ofthe trolley-pole.

3. In a signaling apparatus for use with electric railways, thecombination with an overhead feed-wire, a trolley-pole adapted toconnect the car and said feed-wire, of a plurality of normally opengrounded circuits, contactpieces each connected with its respective oneof said circuits and projecting from the side beneath the feed-wire, aninsulating-shield for that part of the trolley-pole which passes throughthe field of the said contact-pieces and a conductive tappet adapted tobe adjusted along the trolley-pole to contact with either of the saidcontact-pieces and provided with means to make electrical connectionthrough the trolley-pole with the overhead feed-wire.

t. In asignaling apparatus for use with electric railways, thecombination with an overhead feed-wire, a trolley-pole adapted toconnect the car and said feed-wire, of a plurality of normally opengrounded circuits, contactpieces each connected with its respective oneof said circuits and projecting from the side beneath the feed-wire, aninsulating-shield for that part of the trolley-pole which passes throughthe field of the said contactpieces,and

a conductive tappet adapted to be adjusted along the trolley-pole tocontact with either of the said contact-pieces and a securing member forsaid tappet adapted to penetrate said shield and contact with thetrolley-pole.

5. In an electric signaling device for electric railways having anoverhead feed-wire and trolley, of signaling-circuits havingcontact-pieces adjacent the feed-wire, means carried by the trolley-polefor closing said circuits through said contact-pieces, and a protectivedevice for said contact-pieces comprising guard-wires extending from thefeedwire at each side of the contact-pieces laterally to form a diamondsurrounding said contact-pieces.

6. In an electric signaling device for electric railways having anoverhead feed-wire and trolley, of signaling-circuits havingcontact-pieces adjacent the feed-Wire, means carried by the trolley-polefor closing said circuits through said contact-pieces, and guardwiresconnecting with the feed-wire at each side of the contact-pieces andfrom above to normally not interfere with the passage of the trolley,said guard-wires extending diagonally outward to embrace saidcontact-pieces.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 20th day of October, 1904.

WALTER C. BETHEL.

Vitnesses: ERNEST B. HERALD,

GEORGE E. LITTLEFIELD.

ITO

